D Street Deaths Were Murder-Suicide Says Eureka Police

Law enforcement near the D Street residence where the murder-suicide occurred according to Eureka Police. [Photo by Stormy Taylor]

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On August 3, 2018, at about 8:08 p.m., officers of the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to the 3200 block of D Street for a welfare check call.

Based on the totality of the circumstances, officers ultimately forced entry into the residence and began checking the interior.

Upon entering a bedroom of the residence, officers located a deceased female laying on the floor. The female had multiple lacerations about her upper torso and head. A deceased male was found hanging nearby in the closet. The male had superficial lacerations to his wrists. Located on the bed was the decedent’s 7 month old child. The child appeared uninjured, but was transported to St. Joseph ER for medical evaluation. The child was determined to be in good health and was released to Child Welfare Services staff.

Due to the extent of the injuries to the female, a visual positive identification could not be determined and identification would have to be made by means of fingerprint results.

On August 8, 2018, autopsies were conducted and positive identification was released by the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office.

The female was identified as Astraia Marie Muir (39 Years old). The cause of death was determined to be murder, by means of multiple incised wounds.

The male was identified as Matthew Orion Julius Muir (42 Years old). The cause of death was determined to be suicide, by means of asphyxia.

Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to contact Senior Detective Cosetti at 707-441-4315.

Seriously, no, Tracy F said exactly what she said. She did not say it was anyone’s fault. Please don’t pick people apart when they are trying to find any solace at all in the situation at hand. OBVIOUSLY it’s not the mom’s fault she was murdered, but i would say the child (children?) are also OBVIOUSLY likely to be in a much better situation with a new family, because this one had violent anger, murder, and suicide waiting in the wings and in fact, realized.
Give people a break for saying innocent, hopeful things!

I feel as though this report is despicable and unnecessary. The general public does not need to know how a person’s (mother, sister,daughter ect) body was found and that it was unrecognizable visually! Family and love ones are going to be reading this also and this report will be forever in the Internet to view. Fishing For views is ridiculous!!

What do you mean don’t describe how the body was found?! The family is actually required to identify the loved ones body. ..pretty sure that means they have to look at it; Which is considerably worse than reading a description.

I always post the source of press releases at the top of the article. I also make the article yellow with a green stripe down the left side so that a reader knows this was created by an organization with an agenda (that isn’t necessarily bad but everyone should be able to judge the trustworthiness of the content for themselves by knowing the source.)

Kim is merely sharing EPD’s press release as all other news sources did.

Often it is detailed stories like this that can motivate other women affected by domestic violence to leave their situation, or motivate family or friends to encourage a woman affected by DV to leave(or to report it). the harsh reality of the outcome of DV is often swept under the carpet out of respect for the victim and as a result the truth is rarely exposed.

If I were murdered so grotesquely by my husband I would WANT my story heard by the world in hopes it would motivate at least one woman living in fear to walk away, NOW, and seek help.

If any one of those women(or yes, men) or their family, friends or neighbors are reading this right now, please stop what you are doing and call 443-6042 or 866-668-6543, or visit hdvs.org. There are compassionate professional people with a high regard for confidentiality and your safety who are very eager to help you, 24 hours a day. Please reach out immediately.

Kym, these kind of people will find anything they can to bitch about. Don’t worry about them. You did not write it personally, it was a press release from an official department regardless who released it.
You people need to get a life and leave Kym alone. If you don’t like what is in the Redheaded Blackbelt don’t read it.

Be upset that the world is this way, but you can’t be mad that the news reports crime. We as a public prefer that reporters do not pick and choose what they think we should hear but instead give us the facts.

Nothing should be redacted. It was a press release from the eureka police, nothing from police dept or other public places should be redacted or kept from public. Maybe the names of the individuals concerned if it is truly sensitive. Thank you for your reporting Kym. On another note, prayers for the child and family.

Yes, I totally support this type of truthful reporting! Some times it is a wake up call that they need or situation they can relate to and identify with. Too many women, when in this situation are in denial: oh, he didn’t mean it; oh, he’ll change; oh, he said he was sorry, wouldn’t do it again … if I just love him hard enough or worse yet, feeling that there is no way out because of the children. There is help! There are people who care! There are people who will help you and your children! Its hard, its scary and it takes a great deal of courage to break out but do it! Take your children and go! We have too many spousal/partener abuse.
Men: if you have a spouse/partner who is violent, abusive and out of control harming you, your children … you too can seek support and don’t feel that you have to be ‘a man’ and deal just with it! Some situations are too big for one person alone! The main thing is to get your children and yourself quickly out of the situation and receive help/support … its the best thing you can do for yourself AND your children whether you are male or female in a violent relationship!